American Council on Science and Health

1 week ago | acsh.org | Chuck Dinerstein

Initially described as early as the Seven Years War (1756-63), physicians have documented excessive physical exhaustion, anger, irritability, and depression, primarily among soldiers. Variously called shell shock, battle fatigue, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), this condition has come into the modern lexicon in the last decade or so. Its diagnostic description, separate from other anxiety disorders, was formalized in 2013.

1 week ago | acsh.org | Chuck Dinerstein

From the collective forgetfulness of overfished herring to America’s billion-dollar love affair with Slim Jims, what we snack on and where we shop (hello, 7-11) says more about us than any sociology textbook. Culture is what happens in Peanuts comics; our protein obsessions and the memory of migratory fish all end up in the same article. Culture is our collective memory. Certainly, no one doubts the importance of culture in navigating our social, economic, and political worlds.

1 week ago | acsh.org | Cameron English |Chuck Dinerstein

Despite dramatically increasing the national debt, the Trump Administration has made controversial cuts to federal funding for research, including critical areas like vaccine development and disease prevention. Many scientists warn that these reductions threaten public health advancements and technological innovation. Have these cuts crossed a line? Let’s take a look.

1 week ago | acsh.org | Chuck Dinerstein

From the collective forgetfulness of overfished herring to America’s billion-dollar love affair with Slim Jims, what we snack on and where we shop (hello, 7-11) says more about us than any sociology textbook. Culture is what happens in Peanuts comics; our protein obsessions and the memory of migratory fish all end up in the same article. Culture is our collective memory. Certainly, no one doubts the importance of culture in navigating our social, economic, and political worlds.

1 week ago | acsh.org | Paul A. Offit

On May 27, 2025, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services, made a surprise announcement in a video posted on X that he would no longer recommend Covid vaccines for healthy young children and healthy pregnant women. “I couldn’t be more pleased,” enthused Kennedy. “We’re now one step closer to realizing President Trump’s promise to Make America Healthy Again.” The CDC was blindsided by the announcement.